Process of and apparatus for improving spirits



(ModeL) P. STITZEL.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING SPIRITS. No. 253 125. Patented Jan. 31,1882.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ztdwm Q ATTORNEY :1. Farms. Photo-Ulhognpher. Wtlihingklm DJQ UNTTED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK STITZEL, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING SPIRITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 253,125, dated January 31, 1882,

Application filed October 11, 1879. Renewed December 8, 1881. (Model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK STITZEL, of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Processes of and Apparatus forImproving Spirits; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a'vertical central section of my spirit-improving apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a top view thereof with the cover removed.

This invention has relation to improvements in spirit-improving devices.

The invention has for its object to provide an improved process of aging liquors and apparatus for carrying said process into effect; and it consists, first, in subjecting liquors to the action of carbonic-acid gas, and, second, in an apparatus by means of which carbonicacid gas generated by passing air through burning charcoal may be caused to pass through the liquor in a cask or barrel, and the gas, after acting on the liquor, may be carried off, together with the alcoholic vapors, and such vapors collected and condensed, as hereinafter more fully shown and described.

In the annexed drawings the letter A designates a preferably cylindrical vessel closed by a removable lid, a, and having a central tube, B, extending from said lid downward through the bottom, and projecting a distance beyond the same sufficient to be inserted into a cask, and reach, if desired, to its opposite side.

The tube has a diaphragm, b, at about the middle of its length, and is closed at its upper extremity. It is provided at its lower end with a short perforated pipe, 0, having the functions of a rose, and swiveled thereto, so as to be capable of being inserted into a cask through its bung-hole. One end of this crosshead pipe overbalances the other considerably, so that its normal position is downward, and holds the said rose-pipe in line with tube B; but when it reaches the opposite side of the cask the heavier end of the pipe 0, which is beveled in curved form, as shown at cl, in orderto prevent fouling the staves of the cask, comes against the side of the cask and assumes the position shown in Fig. 1.

Projecting from the bottom of vessel A is a cylindrical flange, O, concentric with the tube A, and surrounding the same. This flange is designed to be forced into the bung-hole of the cask, and forms a tightjoint therewith.

The vessel A is provided near its bottom with an induct, c, and near its top with an educt, e, for the admission and discharge of cold water, respectively. It has also inside the escape-pipe D, provided at its lower end with adrip pipe,f, extending through the bottom of said vessel, and projecting within the inclosure of flange 0 down into the cask, as shown in Fig.

Gr indicates a worm arranged in vessel A, and opening at its upper end into the upper part of tube B and at its lower end into the corresponding part of the escape-pipe D, for a purpose hereinafter fully set forth. J indicates a gas-supply pipe opening into pipe B below the diaphragm b, and communicating with a retort containing burning charcoal or other suitable combustible, through which the cold air is forced by a suitable fan or other blower. In passing through the retort the air is united with carbon, forming carbonic-acid gas.

In pipe B, above diaphragm b, is a perforation or perforations t, the same being within the inclosure of the flange.

The operation is as follows: The tube B, with its rose 0, is inserted into the cask full of spirits and the flange 0 made air-tight with the bung-hole. Cold water is then admitted at the induct c and the fan set in motion. The heated carbonic-acid gas passes through the supply-pipe J into tube B, and is directed by the diaphragm 11 down into the cask, and, escaping through the rose, passes directly into the spiritsfor the purpose of heating and agitating the same. The hot gas charged with alcoholic vapors passes out of the cask into the flange G, and enters the tube B above the diaphragm or partition through the perfora tions 1'. It thence passes into the worm G,

and the alcoholic vapors, being condensed in their passage down the whirls of said worm,

0 improved by rapid cooling and heating.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The process of improving spirits, consisting in forcing a r through a retort containing burning charcoal and conducting the result ing gas directly into the spirits, and condensing the alcoholic vapors taken up by the gas, substantially as specified.-

2. The spirit-improving apparatus consisting of the close vessel A, having tube B, pro- "ided with the swiveled gravitating rose-pipe 0, an induct and educt, a perforation or perforations, i, and a diaphragm, b, the escape-pipe D, containing coarse gravel, and having drippipef, the worm G, opening at its upper end into the pipe 13 and its lower end into pipe 1), and a hot-gas-supply pipe, J, opening into the said pipe B below its diaphragm, the. whole arranged and operating as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK STITZEL.

Vitnesses:

H. A. PoLLEY, H. M. BUCKLEY. 

